X - 1798

L'Égypte Conquise

The preceding three medals relating to Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt sufficiently elucidate themselves: - the first being struck to commemorate the conquest of Lower Egypt; the second, the conquest of Upper Egypt; and the third the conquest of the whole country. From our confined limits we can only take a general view of the expedition, and the expected result by the Directory and the French nation.

Our territorial and commercial greatness in the East Indies, had long been the envy of France, even during the reign of the Bourbons, and every art had been made use of to entangle the native governments of that country in constant hostilities with Great Britain. In these views Hyder Ally, who had usurped the throne and territory of Mysore, entertained a similar hatred to the English, from obstacles which their power opposed to his enterprising schemes. An alliance between France and Hyder obliged the English to be constantly on the alert in the East Indies; and though the British arms were triumphant in every contest, the danger increased with the progress of time, inasmuch as the French officers and engineers instructed their allies in all the mysteries of European tactics.

Tippoo Saib, son and successor to Hyder, evinced the same dislike and attachment that his father had possessed; and having been severely beaten by the English just before the war, which took place with the Republic of France, thought that likely to afford him an opportunity of gratifying his resentment: mutual convenience drew the two powers together, and the army of Tippoo Sultan was officered by Frenchmen. The designs of Tippoo were not doubted; but occupied as France was with the combined powers of Europe, she could spare no force to co-operate with him. When the continental war finished, this difficulty was removed; but the superiority of the British Navy, whose flag now rode triumphant in every sea, created another.

France had resolved to attack the British possessions in India, and the enterprising spirit of Bonaparte was suited to the hazard of this undertaking; it was resolved to seize upon the territory of Egypt, that by moving the commerce of the East through the Red Sea, the new French colony should become the grand mart, where all Europe might be supplied with Indian articles cheaper than they could be rendered by the English; while as a military post, it could at all times transport auxiliaries to the coast of Coromandel. This plan was imparted to Tippoo, and the government in India knew it nearly as soon as it was known in London.

It was the expedition to Egypt that the Directory and General Bonaparte were preparing, whilst they masked their designs under the appearance of organizing an army of England to co-operate with the united Irishmen; although the object was concealed with so much address, that it was doubtful, after it was known that Malta had been captured by the expedition, whether the General might not even from thence bend his course for Ireland.

When the British Government had most to fear from the Irish Insurrection, and when it was obliged to guard every French port on the Western Ocean, that division of the army of England cantoned in the southern ports, put to sea from the port of Toulon, under the command of Bonaparte, on the 20th May, 1798, who was on board the l'Orient of 120 guns, bearing the flag of Admiral Bruyes, who was to take the command of the fleet then assembling from the different Ports of France, which was to consist of thirteen sail of the line, besides four frigates, and near four hundred transports. On board this fleet was an army of 40,000 men, and a vast number of adventurers who associated their fate with this expedition, without knowing more of it than that Bonaparte was at its head.

On the first of July, he wrote to the commander of the Caraval at Alexandria, stating: "that the Beys had loaded the French merchants with exactions, and that he was come to demand reparation. I shall be at Alexandria to-morrow; but this ought not to alarm you. You are a subject of our great friend the Sultan; conduct yourself accordingly; but, if you commit the slightest act of hostility against the French Army, I shall treat you as an enemy, and you will have no one to blame for it but yourself, for such a thing is far from my intention, and from my heart.

The same evening the General-in-chief made arrangements for landing, and fixed on the point at Marabou as the spot; he ordered the fleet to anchor as near the point as possible; but two ships of war in preparation to execute this ran foul of the Admiral's ship, which caused the order to be countermanded, and the armament remained at its then situation. They were at a distance of about three leagues from the shore, the wind was northerly, and blew with violence, and the debarkation was equally perilous and difficult; the sea was covered with boats, which stemmed the impetuosity of the waves and currents. The pinnace with Bonaparte approached the nearest breakers, whence the entrance to the creek of Marabou was discovered; he waited for those boats that were to join him, but they did not arrive till after sun-set, and could not therefore during the night penetrate the ledge of breakers. Early in the morning, the general-in-chief landed at the head of the foremost troops, who formed with the greatest promptitude in the desert, about three leagues from Alexandria. After some slight skirmishes, he advanced and invested Alexandria, where he established himself on the evening of the same day, by a capitulation of the city and fortress.

It was now found necessary to march without delay against the Mamelukes, before they could arrange a system of attack or defence; and Bonaparte ordered Desaix to take two field-pieces, and proceed immediately towards Cairo. That General accordingly on the 6th, arrived at Demenhur, after being harassed on his march by the Arabs to a great degree; no one could stir from their columns; Desaix himself was nearly taken prisoner when not more than fifty paces in the rear. The Mamelukes presented themselves in front of the army; then retired, as certain of victory, and ceased to harass a march which, under a burning sun, gave nothing but hunger and thirst. The soldiers cried for bread, while the dazzling sun-beams playing on a sandy soil, displayed such a resemblance to water, as to deceive, not only the stranger, but those who had before witnessed a similar delusion. Such were the auspices under which the conquest of Upper and Lower Egypt was effected, to commemorate which, these three medals were struck by order of the government of France.